Client Care Flashcards
What is a stakeholder?
Anyone affected by or can affect what you are trying to achieve
What is another term for a stakeholder?
The people that count
What is stakeholder engagement?
Things we might do with a stakeholder: consult, listen,, understand, communicate, influence, neogtiate
Why is stakeholder engagement important?
It is vital to develop an understanding of stakeholders evolving objectives, interests, constraints, and expectations. It is essential for making good decisions on strategy, scope, and risk management.
What is the principle agent theory?
The difficulty in motivating one party (the agent) to act in the best interests of the other party (the principal) rather than their own
What is Edward Freeman’s theory on stakeholder management?
That understanding stakeholders is “the principle of who or what really counts”
What are the different types of stakeholders?
- Internal or external
- Positive or negative
- Individuals or groups
What is a definition of a stakeholder by the APM & Project Management Institute (PMI)?
- Stakeholders must have a relationship with the organisation’s objectives
- Stakeholders “stake” or “vested interest” is affected by the outcome of the intended objectives, whether directly or indirectly
What is the RICS Guidance Note on Stakeholder Engagement for?
It covers:
1. the value of stakeholder management
2. the practice of stakeholder engagement
3. the level of understanding of stakeholders
4. the need for training and development
What are the key principles of stakeholder enagement?
- there is no single answer or approach
- the influence of one cannot be considered without impacting the other
- stakeholder engagement is complex given the potential uncertainty and ambiguity of how each stakeholder views and reacts to a project
What are examples of how stakeholder engagement is applied?
- Communicate
- Consult early and often
- Remember they are only human
- Plan it
- Relationships are key
- Simple, but not easy
- Just part of managing risk
- Compromise
- Understand what success is
- Take responsibility
What is required for stakeholder management?
- Juggling a mix of technical, financial and human challenges
- influencing others and balancing conflict
- effective coomunication
- applying intuition, emotional intelligence and empathy
- dealing with ambiguity, uncertainty, risk and unknowns
working over long timescales with evolving objectives
Why is a client brief important?
- it leads to better, more effective and measurable work
- it saves time and money (getting things right first time saves money)
- it makes remuneration fairer
Why is a written client brief good?
It forces a client to consider their request and focus on what they are expecting. It also formally clarifies their objectives
What is the definition of a complaint?
The definition of a complaint is any expression of dissatisfaction.
Why do complaints need to be well managed?
Complaints can give a firm an opportunity to identify and rectify specific problems with its service and develop its relationship with customers by demonstrating that their concerns are treated seriously.
What do the RICS Rules of conduct say about complaints?
Firms must publish a complaints-handling procedure, which includes an alternative dispute resolution provider approved by RICS, and maintain a complaints log.
How do Terms of Engagement reduce complaints?
They provide client expectations on scope, quality, timeliness or understanding of the advice being provided. Terms of Engagement help to define the circumstance and context in which complaints may be made or managed.
What do RICS say about direct dialogue with a client?
It is generally best practice for the surveyor to have direct dialogue with the client. In the case of RICS branded survey products, this is clearly specified in professional statements, e.g. RICS Home Surveys.
‘1.6 Client’s understanding of the contract.
The surveyor has a duty to check, before the contract is signed and, where possible, through communication (for example, telephone conversation or email), that the client:
(a) is making the appropriate choice of survey; and
(b) has a clear understanding of the key elements of the service.’
Why is it important to understand a client’s complaint early on?
A misunderstanding at such an early stage may cause additional avoidable frustration for all parties.
What is an effective CHP (complaints handling procedure)?
An effective CHP should:
* be fit for purpose – it should reflect the size and structure of the business
* made available to all staff – a CHP is intended to provide clarity and consistency to staff and clients
* be understood by all staff – keep records of staff training
* readily be shared with complainants or potential complainants – supplying them with a copy
should be routine
* be regularly reviewed at a senior level – record evidence of review, to include reviewer details and review date
* be agreed with PII brokers/provider(s) – the CHP should reflect processes that do not compromise PII cover and
* provide details of access to independent redress if the firm cannot resolve the complaint.
Why is PII important regarding complaints?
5.1 The receipt, management and resolution of complaints must be undertaken in accordance with the specific terms of the current PII policy. Failure to do this may compromise the cover provided by the policy and leave the firm, its employees and clients without the protection intended.
5.2 The terms of PII policies vary between providers and are specific to each period of cover. It is important that at renewal firms understand the details of the proposed new policy and particularly, with the help of their brokers, understand any changes to the requirements for the reporting of complaints and anticipated complaints. Requirements for the notification of a potential liability must be strictly followed, to provide the greatest protection to all stakeholders.
5.3 A firm is normally obliged, under the terms of their PII policy, to advise their insurer about any situation that may give rise to a claim. Providing a client with a copy of a firm’s CHP following receipt of a complaint or query should remind the firm to inform its insurer as soon as possible, to ensure compliance with the terms of its PII policy.
5.4 PII brokers can play a crucial part in ensuring that complaints are managed in accordance with the firm’s current PII policy. Brokers are agents of the firm and should be used as such. If in doubt about any aspect of the PII policy and how its terms may be fulfilled, the broker can assist if kept in the picture.
What are methods of good complaint handling?
There are four main routes via which complaints may be received – by mail, by email/ internet, by telephone or in person – so the firm should have the ability to manage all of these efficiently.
* Ensure that all staff members have access to, and an understanding of, the firm’s CHP.
* Carefully record all complaints or potential complaints at the earliest opportunity and
ensure that they are appropriately allocated
* Establish and adhere to a review process to ensure effective management of the issue from receipt to resolution.
* Correspondence from a client may not initially be a complaint, but any query or question has the potential to become one. A prompt and considered review of client correspondence is important. Incorrect initial responses can turn a question into a complaint.
* Where the complainant is a consumer, the firm has to signpost to an approved ADR provider. The Ombudsman can accept a complaint eight weeks after the complaint is made to you.
What are good complaint initial actions and responses?
- If initial contact is by phone or in person, listen carefully to what the customer has to say, and let them finish.
- When contact is made by letter or email, read the content carefully to ensure a true understanding of the issues and to establish any areas of uncertainty, where clarification may be required.
- Following a telephone call or face to face conversation, record the details of the complaint promptly and accurately.
- Be careful to whom you give information out. Complaints are covered under data protection regulations in the same way as any other data that you hold. Complete your usual identity checks.
- Do not get defensive. The customer is not attacking you personally but has a problem that needs attention and resolution.
- At an early stage apologise for the client’s need to complain; this is not to admit fault or liability, and you should be careful not to make any such admissions, but merely to establish a degree of empathy.
- Take ownership; give confidence that the matter will be taken seriously.
- Seek to establish the context of the complaint, e.g. has a transaction proceeded to the point where a loss has been sustained or can assistance still be provided to meet the desired outcome and/or avoid a loss occurring?
- Clearly set out the next steps and provide clear timeframes within which they will occur.
- Establish one point of reference for the complainant to communicate with; this provides confidence and reduces the risk of future confusion.
- In accordance with the CHP, acknowledge receipt of the complaint promptly. Supply the complainant with a copy of the firm’s CHP and a nominated contact.
- Evaluate whether the issue is one that should be notified to insurers under the terms of the firm’s PII; if in doubt, seek your broker’s advice.
- Evaluate the complaint in accordance with the CHP. Failure to do this could have serious consequences. Ensure that required actions have been diarised and recorded.
What are RICS requirements regarding escalation of a complaint?
All firms should have a form of alternative redress provider available to the client if a suitable provider is available. In the UK, redress for consumers should be free. e.g. The Property Ombudsman
What is the RICS Standard Form of Consultant’s Appointment?
The RICS Standard Form of Consultant’s Appointment is suitable for use on construction-related projects of any size or value and carefully explains the contract between a client and consultant
What is a Scope of Work in construction?
In construction, the term ‘scope of work’ (sometimes described as a ‘scope of works’, ‘statement of work’ or ‘terms of engagement’) is a very general, and sometimes ambiguous term referring to a general description of the work that is expected to be performed under a particular contract. It may be prepared by the client or their consultants and included in tender documentation for construction works.
